Obsidian ring with skull rune carved inside loop - a more
powerful version of the token provided by Es Sarch. In addition to bypassing
the trap in the spire's entry room it allowed the wearer to control the
bloodhulk.

A small gold rod with a head showing an opened fanged mouth
about to close over a blue agate that resembles a globe (magic) - The rod is
somehow connected to the device that is arcing lightning.

Tuesday, April 22, 2014

Banjo
looked up from the runes on Banrhialorg.
The speaker was a stunner of a drow, clad in what looked to his eye as
typical adventuring gear. He glanced
around the tavern to be sure his friends were about. Clint was ensconced at the bar, and met
Banjo’s gaze with a squinty-eyed glance from under his ridiculous hat. He didn’t see Thurstan but the great gray
Mister Wolf was nearby. There was no
sign of Dargoth.

He
leaned back in his chair, both to get a better regard of the woman and to give
himself time to consider offensive spells.
“You sound like my father,” he said.
“What do you want?”

She
smiled and gracefully took the chair opposite him. “I merely wish to serve.”

He
rolled his eyes. “You’ve picked the
wrong adventurer to play word games with.
Get to the point or piss off.” He
raised Banrhialorg upright and let the lightning and fire play about the head.

Her
eyes widened, regarding the miniature lighting playing about the eyes of the
dragon-headed staff. “This is a threat,
you give?”

He
shrugged, causing odd shadows to flicker and dance from the lightning and
firelight. “A little.”

She
smiled again and looked him in the eye.
“Good. It is a fear I have: that
because you are male your bowels be watery and spine all soft.”

“Ha!”
he snorted, grinning. “I have been
accused of being a bit too brash, if anything.
So what are you doing—“

“I have
been given vision by the Goddess,” she interrupted. “To aid you in your quest.”

His grin
vanished, replaced by a scowl. “The
Spider Queen bade you—“

“Why is
it when you surfacers hear a drow speak of Goddess, you think Spider Queen?”

“Because
it’s usually the case? What god, then?”

Her
smile turned seductive. “Calistria.”

He
frowned. He knew just enough about gods
to use their names in bawdy curses.
“Calistria is…?”

“Elvish
goddess of trickery, lust, and revenge,” Thurstan interjected, appearing on his
right. “Who’s yer friend?” he asked,
jerking his chin at the woman.

“Uh, she
didn’t—“

“My
name is Natalya,” she said. She regarded
Thurstan’s bearded countenance coolly.
“Who are you?”

“Your
goddess gave you a vision and you don’t know our names?” Banjo asked.

“The
Goddess gave me a vision of you, Bonjerus
Valerae,” she replied, stabbing the air with a small finger. She waved her hand dismissively. “Your servants are of minor consequence.”

“Servants?!”
Thurstan, Clint, and Dargoth interjected.
Clint and Dargoth appeared suddenly on his left, while Thurstan and his
great wolf stood on the right. Natalya
and Banjo were the only ones seated.

He
didn’t bother stifling his laughter.
“They are not my
servants. If they were, we’d all be a
lot richer,” he muttered, shooting a glare at Clint.

Clint
shrugged. “Or less rich, and still
recovering from our wounds,” he said coolly.
“Or dead.”

“Or
dead,” Dargoth agreed.

“Or
dead,” Thurstan grunted.

“Hey,
easy!” Banjo exclaimed. The men
chuckled.

Natalya smiled. “You surfacers are very funny, yes.”

“So let us get this straight,
ma’am,” Clint said. “Your Goddess gave
you a vision. In that vision, she told
you to follow Bonjerus Valerae and aid him in whatever manner you can. That about sum it up?”

Clint turned from her and gave
Banjo a raised-eyebrow look, to say “it’s up to you.” He frowned and regarded the woman again. She certainly was nice to look at—but most
drow would use that to get you to let your guard down. On the other hand, it would be nice to have a
native guide here in the Underdark, since it seemed they were destined to go
deeper and deeper in.

On the other hand – he shrugged and
looked up at Thurstan. “What the hell?”

“Yeah what the hell,” Dargoth interjected. “The first guy she kills will be you and
that’ll be our warning!”

Banjo rolled his eyes.

“That is not true,” Natalya
said. “If I were to kill anyone, I would
save Bonjerus Valerae for last.”

As you
see, I am good to my word. Through Fadheela, I have sent you the bones and most
of the items you requested. I still search for Merthύvial as I write this – the
blade is hidden well. I hope the Vanguard is pleased.

You
would do well, my lord, to consider your contract with the hobgoblin
mercenaries breached. The brutes went on a looting spree that almost
compromised the entire mission.

Should you desire it, I volunteer to deal with Krootad – their
leader, the priest of Urgathoa, if you remember – myself.

-Xeron

Scroll 2

Fadheela,

You
have our thanks for sending the bones and items to us here in the fortress.
With the king’s bones in hand, the phrophecy is about to be bent to the will of
the Vanguard of Sertrous! However, two of the items are missing from what you
sent – Merthύvial and Banrhialorg. Please explain this discrepancy.

-Gazaron

Scroll 3

Garazon,

That fool Xeronnever sent Merthύvial as he promised he
would, nor has he arrived in Pedestal to deliver it to me. That;s your mess to
clean. His worthless lackeys tried to withhold the items youwanted until their
master arrived, so you got what you have only because I brook no defiance. The
sword might still show up, or Xeron is
dead. I do not know which is likely, nor do I care.

I am taking the staff as my own, and if you
want it, you will have to face me. I’ve sent the bones and other weapons along.
Count yourself lucky I did not reserve anything else for myself.

The party is able to un-stone Mr. Wolfe using one of the oils of stone to flesh.

Es Sarch is pleased when you return with additional information about the Spike, Fadheela and the Vanguard of Sertrous. As payment he gives the party a darkwoord coffer containing 100 PP. He also helps decipher the three scrolls. (See the next post.)

Lastly, the small gold rod with a head showing an opened fanged mouth about to close over a blue agate that resembles a globe is the Sertous Key and it is used to open the Elerctric Gate in Fadheela's lair. (This leads to the next adventure.)

When you have sold the unwanted gear, divided the treasure and everyone has sent me an updated PDF copy of their character sheet (you should now be 7th level) we can start the next adventure.